Process of electrodepositing iron from iron-containing minerals



Patented Apr. 27, 1926. v

UNITED STATES] PATENT f OFFICE" MASATOSI rnocnss or Emc'rnonnrosrrme men mm molt-contestants umems. T

No Drawing.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that MASATOSI Oxocm and;

Moroxrrr HANAoxA, subjected the Emperor Yanaka, Shitaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan, and No. 37 H orai-cho, Komagome, Hongo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Electrodeposi ting Iron from Iron-Containing Minerals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to producing iron from granular or pulverulent ores like magnetic sand, yellow ochre, bog iron ore, and the like, in which there is also used a certain amount of a sulfid, e. g., pyrites, pyrrhotite.

The magnetic sand, yellow ochre, bog iron are (or a concentrate thereof) is first reduced as completely as possible in an externally heated mufile or equivalent device, under conditions to form reduced granular or spongy iron. This can be conveniently performed by placing such ore, mixed with fine carbonaceous material (charcoal, coal or coke) or other solid reducing agent, in a muffle and heating to say, 900 ing a reducing gas such as CH CO, producer gas, hydrogen, coal gas or the like, through the mufile. The temperature can easily largely or almost completely reduced in 10 minutes at 900 C., or 1 hours at 600 C. The waste-gases from therabove can be used as fuel, e.. g., for heating the mufile. This forms unsintered or at least unmelted spongy IIOIl, cess of air, which would cause oxidation;

This sponge is preferably then subjected to a. further magnetic separation (or other concentration method, e. g., flotation) to re- C., and pass be kept below 1000' C., and the ore an acid aqueous bath, the said mixture oi which is of course cooled without ac- OKOOEI AND'MOTOKITI HANAOKA, OF TOKYO, JAPAN, ASSIGNOBS TO ZAIDAN .HOJ'IN RIKAGAKU KENKYUJ'O, OF TOKYO, JAPAN.

Application filed April 2, 1924. Serial No. 703,819.

move=silicates, titanium compounds and perhaps unreduced ore. This step is optional but it is very advisableas it greatly reduces the amount of anode slime formed in the subsequent electrolysis.

The sponge is then well mixed with a sulfid, e. g., pyrites, in. about equal amounts. The mixture is then subjected to electrolysis in an acid bath, preferably while warm. The bath may contain H 80 HCl or other mineral acid, and if the electrolysis is to be conducted at 60 C., a current of 1:5 volts at 4 ampercs per square decimeter of cathode surface is used. If the electrolysis is at 90 C. use the same voltage and ,8 amperes.

The anode may be iron or lead, around which is placed the mixture of reduced granular or spongy iron and sulfid, in a foraminous basket of bamboo, reticulated tin, lead or other insoluble metal, surrounded by a canvas bag.

The anode surface should be several-times larger than the cathode surface, the latter being preferably of brass, and upon which iron will be deposited by the electrolysis.

We claim Aprocess of treating magnetic iron sands, yellow ochre, bog iron ore and the like, which are granular 'and easily crushable, which comprises reducing such ore at a temperature below 1000- 0., incorporating the reduced iron with an i'ron sulfid material,

and subjecting the mixture to electrolysis in spongy iron and sulfid forming the anode.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures. p I: MASATOSI OKOGHL' MOTOKITI HANAOKA j 

